Doesn’t it make sense that a woman named Holley would put together a book about Christmas?

Although that sounds like a plot of a cozy made-for-TV movie, the story of how a book about Savannah and the holidays came to fruition involves much more than the first name of one of its co-authors.

“A Savannah Christmas, Interiors and Traditions from the Low Country” is a beautiful new coffee-table book certain to be on the wish-list of anyone who wants to peek into some of the area’s loveliest homes and familiar sites all dressed up for the holiday season. The 159-page book includes spectacular color photography by Richard Leo Johnson and Christine Hall, charming tidbits of information and history in addition to a sprinkling of recipes.

The book was the brainchild of Kimberly Ergul and Holley Jaakkola — two talented Savannahians who have spent the last few years fine-tuning the project recently debuted by Pelican Publishing Co.

The co-authors will be signing copies of the book, which sells for $24.95, today from 1 to 3 p.m. at E. Shaver, Bookseller, 326 Bull St.

The friends hatched the idea for a holiday book after Kim (as she is known to her friends) began noticing Christmas books about New Orleans, Charleston, S.C., and other cities. What she didn’t see was a book about Savannah and the holidays.

“I mentioned the idea to Holley who seemed like a natural partner for such a project,” Kim recalled.

Holley is a master gardener who has had a container garden business for several years. She was the lead garden expert for the G8 Summit at the Cloister on Sea Island and has arranged flowers for celebrities, including former first lady Laura Bush. Kim previously owned an interior shop in the Historic District and is a past tour home chairman and current real estate agent. Both volunteer for the Historic Savannah Foundation and other community groups and organizations.

“I thought we would make a great team,” Kim explained.

Both Kim and Holley also share an affinity for holiday traditions. Kim, her husband, Mehmet, and their daughter, Nevin, attend the Christmas Eve service at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church followed by dinner with all the trimmings at their Ardsley Park home. They open presents that night and hang their stockings so Santa Claus can fill them with surprises. Christmas Day is spent with extended family who help them celebrate Kim’s Dec. 26 birthday.

The Jaakkola’s favorite tradition is the Christmas Eve twilight service at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church.

Every year Holley and her friends take turns hosting a Christmas Eve dinner. Holley’s husband, Juha, is Finnish, so in keeping with the tradition of his Scandinavian homeland, the Jaakkola’s open a single gift on Dec. 24 and the rest on Christmas morning. The tree in their Bluff Drive home is decorated with photos of family, pets and friends.

“Our girls made sweet frames from acorns and things they found to remember how lucky we are,” Holley said. (Ava is 8 and Sophie is 6.)

After they decided to do the book, Kim and Holley mapped out a plan and contacted homeowners and others to ask if they would like to participate in the project. “We both have incredible neighbors, friends and clients,” Holley said. “Savannah is a very generous community.”

With list in hand, the two contacted Richard because they wanted a photographer who would captivate readers with his pictures, which have been featured in such publications as Beautiful Homes, Southern Accents and Coastal Living.

“Both Holley and I had always admired (Richard’s) photography,” Kim said. “He is so creative with his camera lens, while staying focused on the subject.” The co-authors also wanted Christine to be a part of the project because of her talent photographing food.

After deciding on a list of photos, Kim and Holley came face-to-face with another challenge. They didn’t want to stage the holiday shots because, as Kim said: “It doesn’t look appropriate for azaleas to be blooming in the background while a holiday wreath is being photographed on a garden gate.”

As a result, all of the photos included in the book were taken during several holiday seasons. The finished product was exactly what the women hoped it would be.

Explained Kim: “Each home has its own personality and each homeowner has a unique style of holiday decorating. The churches and synagogue, festive shops and historical sites remind everyone exactly what makes this area special.”